Have you ever wondered where stop/start technology came from? By the early 1970s, the flow of crude oil was, for the first time, a diminishing and precarious commodity across the four corners of the world. Embargos established by the Saudi Arabians over the Yon Kippur War caused the price of oil to skyrocket seemingly overnight, prompting the world’s first-ever ‘oil shock’ shortly after. If you want to read more on battery chargers, be sure to check out our picks of the best battery chargers here.
Coupled with some alarming emissions statistics and a growing awareness of their meaning, it was up to the car manufacturers to devise a new type of technology that could both save fuel and boost efficiency on the road. One of the first bright ideas was the stop/start system.
Initial consumer attitudes towards the stop/start were nervy, but as our collective consciousness for fossil fuel consumption and its ramifications progressed, so too did the popularity of the stop/start. Today, it features across the motoring industry, from performance models to SUVs. No matter the model, it's important to keep your battery in check, consider investing in a great trickle charger to keep your battery topped up when not in use.
We've also ranked our favourite jump starters for when you need to get back on the road in a hurry. Check out our favourite stop/start car batteries below.
Best solid and safe option
Not sure where to start? Check out Yuasa's YBX9096. Boasting up to 360,000 engine starts – seven times that of a normal battery – this state-of-the-art piece of motoring hardware is designed for cars packing advanced technology, including a system start system, regenerative braking, and energy recovery. Although advanced, this battery is still constructed with safety as priority, as its spill-proof construction prevents any free acid from escaping.
Pros
- Over a third of a million starts in the bank
- Compatible with a wide range of manufacturers
Cons
- Not as advanced as the others for the same price
Best advanced option
Bosch is a storied brand of tools and electrical appliances with a consumer reach spanning the entire world. Together with its power tools, ratchet wrench sets and washing machines, Bosch also makes batteries, and this example is among the best it has to offer.
The long service life of this battery can be attributed to its high deep cycle resistance – four times higher than that of a conventional battery. The deep cycle and low discharge rate (The conversion of the chemical energy of the battery into electrical energy) suit this battery to the regular cycling required for stop/start, with higher amounts of energy available as the acid is absorbed into microfibre mats.
This battery offers Reliable starting even under extreme temperatures, while the microfibre mats double up as a means to slow down the battery’s ageing through even acid distribution. As an AGM battery (absorbent glass mat), it is extremely resistant to vibration, non-spillable and maintenance-free.
Pros
- Long-lasting thanks to advanced deep cycling technology
- Spill and hassle-free
Cons
- None at this price
batterygroup.co.uk
If your budget doesn’t stretch to the price of the Bosch or the Yuasa, this alternative from Varta is another quality option for two-thirds of the price. The integrated polyester element of this battery stabilises the lead plates, extending their service life. This Varta battery is suited to cars with high energy demands as it also has a long cyclic life.
Pros
- Cheaper option
Cons
- Better value options may offer similar performance
Best budget option
batterygroup.co.uk
Here you have the ultra-affordable option. Available for under £73, this battery represents about the cheapest you’ll find for the quality and power a stop/start system demands. At 65 Amp hours, this battery is down on storage capacity to other more advanced batteries of the same type, but the EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) technology of this battery still grants many engine starts and suits it to high energy demanding vehicles such as those with stop/start systems.
However, EFB batteries have a shorter lifespan compared to AGM models as the latter minimises active material shedding by virtue of its acid-absorbing design.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Half the price of the Bosch model
Cons
- EFB has a shorter lifespan
FAQs
Can you jump-start a stop/start car?
To jump-start your car, connect your car's battery to another car's battery via the jump leads with the ignitions off. Make sure to apply the crocodile grips to each terminal one at a time (positive first) and in the reverse order when taking them off. This example from the AA is suitable for vehicles up to 2500cc and comes in a zip-up polythene bag so you can easily stow it away when not in use.
www.argos.co.uk
If you don't have a set of jump leads tucked away in the back of your car, now is the time to invest. One day you'll turn your ignition key to the sweet sound of sod all, meaning your battery has likely died. You could hoist it out and charge it via a plug-in charger, but should you find yourself in the middle of nowhere with no charger to speak of, you'll need a jump from another car. To check out our full list of the best portable battery chargers and jump starters, click here.
Pros
- Heavy duty
- Handy carry bag
Cons
- Chunky cables take up space
Yes. Although stop/start systems pack more advanced technology, they can still be jump-started in the conventional war should your ignition button fail you. However, it would be worth checking the manual of your car first to ascertain the appropriate procedure.
What is the stop/start feature in a car
A car’s stop/start system uses onboard sensors to detect when the vehicle has stopped moving. Once the engine has been taken out of gear, it will proceed to automatically cut out in order to save fuel and cut emissions while idling, then restart again once the clutch is depressed or a drive mode selected – perfect for traffic lights or long queues of traffic.
Why does it need a specific battery?
During the first phase of ignition, a high-power burst of electrical energy is demanded of the battery in order to fire up the engine. For regular cars, this only occurs once as the engine remains on for the duration of the journey. However, the engine in a stop/start car is repeatedly igniting while the rest of the electronic equipment – dash cams, radios, wireless chargers etc – remains on.
Given the increased demands on the battery to suffice this need for regular extra power, an older or more conventional battery won’t do. Instead, a stop/start battery designed to handle the extra cycling must be fitted for the car to run efficiently.
How much fuel could a stop/start system save me?
Of course, the answer to this question depends heavily on the way in which the car is used and how often it sits in idle day to day. A part of the reason as to why consumers were hesitant to embrace the stop/start system lies in the disproportionate inconvenience-to-saving ratio. Consumers have reported the stop/start system to be irritating in day-to-day life and not worth the presumably negligible fuel saving it affords.
However, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers, a stop/start system could improve a car’s fuel economy by up to eight per cent in heavy traffic. That may not mean much to infrequent motorists, but everyday use could amount to a substantial saving by the end of the year.
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